LAFOLLETTE, TN., (WLAF)- New rules governing how U-S debt collectors can make contact with debtors came into force last week, including precise guidelines on using social media.

Changes to the decades old Fair Debt Collection Practices Act were announced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in October 2020; they took effect Nov. 30. The changes provide firm guidelines on how debt collectors can use email, text, and social media to contact debtors.

The new rules also impose some limitations on how debt collectors can contact debtors on social media.

The messages must be private, so debt collectors will have to use direct messages (DMs) rather than posting publicly on somebody’s Facebook wall, Twitter page, or Instagram comments.

Debt collector must also identify themselves immediately not send a friend request without telling the debtor who they are and why they’re getting in touch.

Finally debt collectors have to give debtors the option to opt out of receiving messages on a particular social media platform. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED 12/06/2021- 6AM)

2 Replies to “New laws in effect regarding debt collection”

    1. What can be done when a debt collector have been told what they are calling you for is not your account and they continue to report you to the credit bureau and your credit scores continue to go down when they know! Are they that hard up to collect money? They need to check to see if it’s a real account and someone else might have opened an account in your name! What can be done about this?

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